The World They Made
by AlexandriteCastor
Summary: The story takes place many many years after the game ends on a planet within the universe the kids make. Kail is just trying to survive his training(school days)- but things start getting complicated as he finds himself constantly struck with an untraceable guilt and constant nightmares. Dose the unusually violent wind really have anything do do with it? [Rated T for language.]
1. Kail

**AN:** Okay... So I know it wont seem like it right away but this story dose have characters from the actual Homestuck comic.

It starts out kind of weird but it gets better.

I need suggestions for the name of the planet...?  
Just in case it never becomes clear this is suppose to be the world the kids create after the game... way way after the game.

* * *

_It was impossible, just simply impossible. He couldn't do a damn thing- he just stared mouth agape as the figure in front of him collapsed, yellow blood pulling around them. He felt a ting in his heart- as if seeing a friend torn to pieces. He wasn't sure what was going on but fear was swallowing him and… he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop shaking- he couldn't stop his heart from pounding like crazy. He couldn't speak.  
He could see the troll stomping toward him, holding juggling clubs in his stained fist of colored blood. Still it was impossible to speak- to even utter a sound, he felt a tug on his shoulder, and he remembered that even though this monster in front of him had been a close friend- He thought he was his friend. Why was this happening? He was so scared- he knew they both were going to die. Suddenly the raging troll vanished and he heard a scream, the tug on his shoulder vanishing. Teal blood flashed in front of his eyes, and finally he loosed a horrified scream as the clubs came for him-_

"Gog Damn it, Kail! Stop screaming!" Kail woke shrieking as his brother shook him awake his blue eyes full of fear. "Do you want to wake the whole Cul de sac?"

Kail took a breath cutting the cry off sharply. Slowly he took in air till his body stopped trembling. "S-sorry." He stuttered.

"Don't apologize it's not your fault."

"Sorry, man, I just…" He shuttered taking in a strained breath as red tears swam in his eyes. "Fuck. Fuck this- it's so stupid- I don't even know what was going on!"

"Do you wanna talk about it- your dream I mean? I heard it helps sometimes."

Kail swallowed. "I was killed. By a fucking clown."

His brother fought back a laugh. "I- I'm sorry." He scrunched up his face his lips pursing together as he tried to regain his composure. "A clown really?"

"Shut your fucking nook trap Xane!" Kail hissed. "It wasn't like a normal clown- I mean- he was covered in blood and the people around me- I- I didn't know who they were but I cared about them- and they were all fucking dyeing in front of me!"

"Oh- okay dude, chill- don't get your horns in a twist." Xane let his arms fall down as he bit his lip looking down frustrated. "But…" Xane's words trailed off plucking at his fingernails nervously.

"What?" Kail asked.

"Is… something going on?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know- it's just you've been having these nightmares a lot lately- and they're escalating- you aren't getting enough sleep- I mean there are almost always dark circles under your eyes- and it's just so sudden…" Xane looked up his worried eyes meeting the wide yellow of Kail's

"When you put it like that- no- Nothings happened." Kail sighed rubbing his gray face. "I just- fuck, I don't know… maybe it's the weather."

"The weather?"

"Yeah, this weird wind. It's driving me insane."

Xane snorted. "Whatever. It's not the wind- but if you don't want to tell me it's cool. Just don't forget I've got your back man."

Kail sighed frowning hard at his brother. "Look, I told you, you thick shit, nothing's going on. I'm as dumbfounded as you about this- if I knew why it was happening I'd tell you I swear."

The brothers shared serious looks for a moment before Xane sighed and ruffled the dark hair between Kail's sharp little horns. "Okay, okay, I believe you." He stood and hoisted himself up onto the top bunk, and Kail leaned back watching as the mattress shifted beneath the weight. "Try to get some sleep- we've got training for first rise."

Kail nodded, "Yeah." Shifting he stared at the wall until his eyes slowly worked themselves shut. The dreams came in shifting colors and flashes- so convoluted and mixed up he couldn't make since of them, but he woke in the same position staring at the wall, his muscles tightened stiffly, a nervous energy coursing through his veins.

He rolled over and looked at the time keeper on his desk. It read 14:13, he sighed staring up at the mattress above him. It was still 2 hours before first rise when the turn was supposed to start. He'd gotten about 6 hours of sleep but for his kind that was not cool. He needed at least 12 to function properly. At least he wasn't a human- sure they slept shorter intervals but they normally couldn't stay up more than 40 hours without flipping their shit. And with 92 hours in a turn it made it hard to work around it. He knew. His brother Xane was human. Kail put an arm over his forehead grimacing at his thoughts. Where the hell were they going? It didn't matter that Xane was human- he was his brother through and through. They had each other's backs. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "What's wrong with me…?" He mumbled flipping over to stare at the wall again. "Damn." He sat up and walked across the room entering the hallway. He could hear his dad's heavy breathing from the other room. He'd be out for another 5 hours at most. Carful to be quiet Kail slipped into the bathroom and flipped on a light.

He squinted as his eyes adjusted in protest to the sudden change. He started just a bit as he caught his reflection. Damn, did he really look that bad? Sighing he walked up to the sink. The tiles were cold on his bare feet, pulling up the sleeves of his back pj's he turned on the facet and watched the water overflow in his cupped hands for a moment before splashing his face. He sighed, letting the water drip off his pointed nose as he gripped the sink with trembling hands. "What the fuck, what the actual fuck?" He was never really normal, it wasn't customary for a troll to be raised by humans. Not to mention his blood was so rare for his kind- most trolls didn't even see him as a troll- they looked at him as if he were merely human- and humans looked at him as if he were merely a troll. His fist tightened and he bit his tong, the bitter taste of his blood filled his mouth and he cussed. Sighing he looked back at his reflection. Human, troll, it made no difference. Xane had his back and that's all that mattered. He smiled, plus it wasn't like he was alone- there were other… oddities in the world.

He ran his hand through his hair as his thoughts went to a girl, with bright green eyes and long hair. He couldn't help it, he was grinning stupidly just thinking about her. Her white hair was so mesmerizing. She was a rare bread, beautiful, from a respected family. A strange race of humanoid dogs- but he didn't care about any of that. He didn't care that she was from a well-known family- she just made him smile.

The two of them had met way back, back when they were kids, back when kids didn't understand things like hierarchy and the difference between species. Kail snorted. Differences. Right.

Sighing, he whipped the smile from his face running his hand down it, replacing it with a frown. It was a pretty dream… but the idea of him- a troll coveting a human in any spectrum- mutant human blood or not was… out of the question. It… just wasn't done.

Opening the cabinet he pulled out a come and quickly yanked the knots from his hair, it was getting long again, and he hated that- it always jumped out in random directions. Again he stared at his reflection, daring it to change. It did nothing but glare back defiantly. Losing another aggravated sigh he opened the door slapping off the light as he left. Walking past the closed door of his father's room he entered the kitchen. He needed something to snack on. He wasn't too worried about being loud his father snored like a mother boat, and his and Xane's room was at the other end of the house. Still, he did his best not to slam things around, for his own nerves sake.

As he sat down at the table with his bole of ringed oats the kitchen window busted as the wind made its way in. He jumped up so quick his chair skidded across the room on its back. "What the hell!?"

The wind rushed passed him filling the house shaking the walls. This was what he mint when he told Xane the wind was driving him insane. He wasn't sure how much more of it he could take. The windy season was normal- but this- This wind was different. It wasn't hitting during a windy season, and it was unusually violent. He gritted his teeth and grabbed his bowl. With a frustrated stomp he made his way into his room and slammed the door on the breeze.

Xane shot up out of bed shocked. Looking to Kail wide eyed he slurred. "Whut?"

"Fucking kitchen window broke- the winds running up and down the halls like a spazzed up nook sucker!"

Xane rubbed his eyes. "Oh, man, that sucks… what time is it?

Kail looked at the time keeper. "15:34"

Stretching Xane yawned. "Oh, well in that case…" He through his legs over the side of the bed and slid off plopping to the ground. He continued to rub his eyes, "I'll go look at the window."

"Okay." Kail said. "I don't think we can fix it right now though."

"Um, hum..." Xane yawned opening the door, but all sleepiness left him as a sharp wind hit him pushing back his cloths and ruffling his light brown hair.

'…remember…' The wind whispered.

"Uh… did you just here that?" Xane asked as the wind died down and the only sound to reach the ears of the startled boys was the sound of their sleeping father.

* * *

**AN: **Okay like I said at the top... this is the world the kids made- its got trolls and humans living together... they have human vernacular, troll vernacular, and some of their own unique vernacular.

Here's some important info regarding the tracking of time in this world.

There are 92 hours in a **turn** (hours are exactly the same as on earth)  
250 **turns** in an **epoch**  
95.657 **turns** make an earth year  
each **rise** and night is split into approximately 30 hours give or take a few minutes.  
there are 3.83 earth days in a **turn**  
5 **turns** make a **fold  
**{Names of **turns**: Hanturn, Minturn,Helturn,Signturn,Kanturn}  
there are 50 **folds** in an **epoch**  
and 5 **folds** in a **draconic**  
10 **draconic's** in an **epoch**

{names of each **draconic**: Eco,Har,Maka,Lal,Jon,Lish,Ker,Vant,Nit,Zahh}

4745.2 earth DAYS FOR A 13 YEAR OLD

113956 hours for 13 years

1238.65** turns** in 13 years

5 **epoch's** = 13 years...?

... the names of the turns and draconics don't really matter... Just got a _little_ cried away...


	2. CG

Kail sighed setting down at his computer as the second rise began. A small icon flashed from his chat program and he sat up expectantly.

-torturedGardian [TG] started hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

(TG types in orange, CG types in red)

TG: dude what's ailing ya

CG: WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK?

CG: THAT IS NOT THE PROPER WAY TO START A PROPER GOG DAMN CONVERSATION DOUCHE FACE!

TG: jegus sorry man

TG: it was just a greeting

TG: …

TG: IS something ailing you

CG: NO! NO! YOU INSUFFERABLE PRICK! EVERYTHING'S JUST FANTASTIC!

CG: THE WINDS BEEN WHISPERING SWEET NOTHINGS IN MY EAR ALL DAMN TURN! I AM THE *PICTURE* OF FUCKING MINTEL STABILITY HERE!

CG: I LITERALLY COULD NOT BE ANY BETTER!

TG: whoa sounds like a harsh rap man

TG: what is the wind saying

TG: …

TG: ?

TG: kail?

CG: WOW, I WAS JUST SURPRISED.

CG: YOU'RE JUST GOING TO BELIEVE ME?

CG: JUST LIKE THAT?

TG: i know you man

TG: you don't pull the shitty prank shit

TG: …

TG: that's someone else i know

CG: WOW YOU ACTUALLY KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT?

TG: man you know I know fucking everybody

TG: i'm like the fucking godhead here

TG: everyone's always coming at me all weeping and sobbing

TG: with all their shitty problems and i'm like yo yeah man I feel ya

TG: it's like you all are my unruly children and i hold that sympathetic ear of a doting father

TG: all listening and shit braking it down trying to help my bros like a real fucking knight would

TG: there's no denying

TG: it i've got all the fucking answers throwing down advice without bother

TG: i mean it's me man

TG: i'm the man so sit back and listen like a good kid should

TG: like i said before i got that sympathetic ear so lay it on me bro

TG: you fill me?

CG: WOW… THAT WAS SURPRISINGLY LACKING IN LEWD LANGUAGE AND SUGGESTIVE UNDERTONES.

TG: yeah

TG: i'm just not filling it today

TG: ya know

TG: but seriously dude

TG: what did the wind say to you?

CG: UM… I'M NOT SURE…

CG: I THINK SOMETIMES IT SAYS "REMEMBER"… BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE FUCK THAT EVEN MEANS! REMIMBER WHAT? REMEMBER TO SAY MY FUCKING PRAYERS? REMEMBER TO BRUSH MY DAMN TEETH?

CG: IF THERE'S A MESSAGE IN THE WIND IT'S TOTALLY FAILING TO GET ITS MESSAGE ACROSS.

CG: THAT IS UNLESS THE WIND ISN'T TRYING TO DO A DAMN THING BUT TO DRIVE ME BAT-FUCK CRAZY! IF THAT'S THE CASE THAN I'D HAVE TO TIP MY HAT TO IT BECAUSE IT'S DOING AN UNBELIEVABLY SPECTACULAR JOB OF IT!

CG: FUCKING WIND, I AM ACTUALLY STARTING TO BELIEVE IT'S THE CAUSE OF MY DAMN NOOK SUCKING DREAMS!

TG: what dreams

CG: WELL NOT DREAMS REALLY.

CG: MORE LIKE NIGHTMARES.

CG: I'M GETTING SO TIRED OF WAKING UP SCREAMING. YOU HAVE NO IDEA.

CG: XANE'S KIND OF TIRED OF IT TOO.

TG: …

CG: IS SOMETHING WRONG DUDE?

TG: na man

TG: just thinking

TG: hey

TG: …

TG: how old are you

CG: I AM A COUPLE FOLDS AWAY FROM 5.

TG: pff ha wow

TG: 5 hu

TG: you must feel so fucking proud

TG: so if I got my math right that would be fitting

CG: WHAT IN ALL THAT IS FUCKING HOLY ARE YOU GOING ON ABOUT?

TG: oh man nothing

TG: it's nothing

TG: hey i got to go

TG: ttyl

CG: ALRIGHT, LATER.

-torturedGardian [TG] stopped hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Kail leaned back in his chair rubbing the back of his head submissively. TG was always kind of weird, but that conversation made his stomach twist. Normally the guy's random weird shit would take Kail's mind off of the turn to turn shit. What was with that 'how old are you' crap? Sure Kail was young but who gave a fuck. He was nearly 5 just folds away from gaining the right to be called an adult.

Stretching he stood and walked to the door grabbing his bag on the way out. Wind or no wind he had solace in knowing things couldn't get much worse.


	3. The Wind

"Kail…?" Kail blinked the worried face of his friend Joy fading into view. "Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah." He blinked. What happened? He was just sitting listening to the instructor and then… did he space out? Joy and he were the only ones left in the room.

"You look really tired." She commented. "Is something wrong?"

Kail shook his head. "No. It is just this infuriating airstream."

"Oh, it's bothering you too?" She asked.

"Has it been bothering you?" He asked.

She nodded solemnly. "My ears can't handle it. It's always screaming through the trees." She pushed a strand of white hair over her furry ear and smiled at him. "And…" Her smile faltered. "I think it's saying something."

Kail sat up a little straighter at this. "Y-you heard something in the wind?"

She blushed. "I don't know maybe- it might have just been my imagination though…"

"I… I heard something too." Kail said, and bristled when her green eyes locked with his in shock.

"Really!?"

His cheeks reddened as he looked away scratching his nose awkwardly. "Uh, yeah, maybe…"

"What did it say to you?"

"I don't know all I could make out the past couple of irritating buzzes is "remember" and "worry"" Kail said. "It is fucking aggravating."

Joy laughed. "Yeah. I kind of had a similar thing. I think it said. "You'll remember soon- don't worry" and then it gets all garbled after that."

"Remember what?" Kail asked. "Is it even talking to us or are we hearing some wigglers message carried on the wind?"

Joy pursed her lips in thought. "Hum… I don't know. It seems relatively harmless though."

Kail sighed. "Right, we should just ignore it."

"Yeah, you're probably right." Joy said then leaned over to see what he was doing. "Oh, are you working on your final?"

"Yeah."

"What are you going for?"

"The military. I want to make a difference. Maybe make it to an officer's rank and tell some wigglers off."

"That sounds just like you!"

"Yeah… what are your plans after the training courses?"

"I'm going into horticulture!" Joy said happily. "I just love growing things. Though… every time I grow pumpkins they disappear on me. I haven't figured that out yet."

"Really?" Kail asked. "That's weird."

"Yeah…" An awkward silence fell between them. "Kail…"

"What is it?" Kail asked looking at his friend curios.

"I-

For the second time in two turns a window shattered in Kail's vicinity. Joy jumped out of surprise as the wind whipped into the room ripping her hair up into an angry frenzy. Kail stood with a curse as a figure appeared in the room. The wind seemed to be emanating from the stranger and as the figure straightened up the wind died down. Joy and Kail blinked taking in the figure clad in a sky blue outfit.

As he turned Kail blinked in surprise. The face seamed familiar and it struck something in his hart. A long lost feeling an undeniably uncontrollable feeling. His fist balled as the shock wore off. "Who the fuck are you?" He growled. He couldn't believe how much he hated the face of this stranger. It just set his blood boiling.

The guy scratched the back of his head looking embarrassed. "Look I know it's kind of sudden but Dave said you might be remembering things- and I don't know I got excited. I wanted to see you. It's been so long."

"Who- what in the hell are you talking about? I'm pretty sure I don't know a puke faced wiggler like you, and if I do I'll fucking stab myself in my surprise sack!"

The man stopped looking unsure. "Well-

Suddenly there was a flash of orange and a loud bang as something orange collided with the blue stranger sending him crashing into the far wall.

"Are you a fucking idiot!? You are! Why am I even asking?" An angry voice came from the crash.

The two watched as an orange figure- a completely orange kid held his hand out to the blue guy. "Did I mess up?" Blue asked looking up at the orange kid over his square glasses. His face was pathetic.

"Yeah." The orange kid said. Kail and Joy just stared in shock. The second stranger that had come had a large beautiful wing, the other was missing, but most shocking was the sword piercing his abdomen.

"Sorry."

"No big, I get it. Let's just get out of here before Lalonde finds us- and before we do more damage."

"But…" Orangy just glared down at Blue before Blue sighed in defeat. "Fine. I get it." He took Orangy's hand and stood.

"And no more pestering them with the wind either."

"Okay."

"I'll let you apologized."

The blue man's sky blue eyes fell on the two shocked kids. "Sorry." He said with a small nod.

"Good boy, now come on." The orange kid finally turned to them and gave a half smile his eyes blocked by large shades. "Sorry Kail, Joy, won't happen again."

"How do you know our names?" Joy asked.

"I know fucking everybody." He said with a cool chuckle before he and the blue kid vanished in a blur.

The room was left silent the wind had stopped, but the two were still blown away. What exactly had just happened to them?

* * *

**AN:**

Please like and review :D


	4. Second rise

It had been 3 turns since the strange incident at the training facility, and for Kail the whole thing was nearly forgotten. He sighed scratching his head as he stepped out of his families hive. Their home was one of the last ones on the dead end street. From the front door he could see the round about merging with the street that ran into another road down the way.

The sky was tinged green as the first sun started to set and the second began to rise signifying unronically the second rise. The two suns were the reason turns were so damn long and nights were so short. Kail wouldn't mind if one of them just burnt out or disappeared. He preferred the night so much more. At least they weren't too bright though, he rubbed his arms.

In his dreams sometimes he saw suns much, much brighter. One red. One green. He took a shuttering breath. He couldn't help but think about how the nightmares were getting worse. He hardly slept at all anymore the few turns he did sleep he woke up feeling like a douche. The lowest of low. As if he had somehow doomed the planet. It was all his fault. Everything.

He closed his eyes tight shaking his head. This was ridiculous, the world wasn't doomed, and even if it was, its fate had absolutely nothing to do with him. He jumped suddenly as a strong hand fell on his shoulder. Surprised he looked up to the caring face of his father. "D-dad! You scared the living shit out of me!"

The man chuckled lightly. "Sorry kid." He studied Kail's face, a worry in his eyes.

Kail looked away biting his lip. "W-what?"

"Xane told me you haven't been sleeping well. I kind of had the feeling. You've been spacing out a lot and honestly… you look like shit."

"Thanks dad." Kail said sarcastically. "Just the pep talk I needed. Father of the year here!"

"You know it!" The man laughed, then sighed. "I also noticed you've been getting really short tempered lately."

"I am always short tempered." Kail said.

"Yeah but not like this. This is different… more… angry…" His father frowned then looked up to the sky stretching slightly. "Actually… I was thinking it might be because of your bead."

"My bed?"

"Yeah- I'd completely forgotten… it's not really the best way for trolls to sleep. I just never really considered changing it because you always took so well to it." The man scratched his head dismissively.

"What are you going on about, you old fart?"

"I was thinking I should get you a recuperacoon. I heard they help trolls keep away nightmares."

Kail looked down sucking on his bottom lip. It was always hard to come to terms with the fact that he was different. He knew it wasn't really that he was different. The way he slept was what was different. Sleeping on a human bed when he was a troll- why hadn't it clicked. His friend Tallose had mentioned something about it before. He sighed, a defensive maneuver he realized, to cut back frustrated tears. "Whatever." He mumbled.

His dad pulled him into a one armed hug. "You're doing great kid- ya know that?"

Kail stared out blankly not seeing the neighborhood, looking past it, as he looked over his dads arm. His ears were rushing with the sound of his heartbeat. He hated it. He didn't feel like he was doing great. He felt like shit.

"It's about 54:00 do ya want something to eat before your second rise training?" His dad asked.

"Sure." Kail said softly as his dad released him and went inside. Kail stayed put for a few moments before looking up to the sky. The second sun was over the horizon now and the sky was washed a sickeningly deep blue. His thoughts wondered back to the other turn. The wind had been practically nonexistent since the orange feathery asshole took off with the blue idiot. It was hard for him to imagine that those two were actually responsible for the insufferable wind. There had to be some other explanation.

Not wanting to waste his life on unanswerable questions though he let it drop and went inside. Not like he'd ever see those two again anyway.

His chest tightened just a bit and he scowled. Of cores he'd have to have black feelings for something as transparent as the fucking wind. Giving one last frustrated glance to the world he slammed the front door, shutting it out.

* * *

**AN:** I wonder if anyone's even gotten this far?  
Hehe...

Hey if you see any mistakes point them out to me please- also if you think of some cool troll terms I'm not using enough let me know as well because I always forget to use them.

Thanks for reading!


	5. Recuperacoon

Kail tried not to squirm too much as his dad lifted him under the arm pits. "You ready?" The man asked, a bit of excitement in his voice. He was holding his son over a red recuperacoon freshly filled with sopor slime.

"No." Kail said flatly looking down at the green slime glistening in the recuperacoon. The stuff looked disgusting, and it had a sickeningly sweet smell to it.

"It'll help, I promise- how long has it been sense you slept? Xane told me you've decided it's an unnecessary evil."

Kail snorted. "Well it is! It's been about a fold." He said nonchalantly.

The old man whistled. "Man, it must be nice to be a troll, if I tried to stay up 5 turns you'd find me face flat on the ground somewhere. Wouldn't even matter if it was broken glass- I would not stir."

"Yeah whatever. Let's just get this over with!" Kail said.

"Okay here we go." Kail closed his eyes curling just slightly as his dad lowered him.

There was a small reaction as his feet touched the slime, an electric charge seamed to run through him, and he was mildly surprised. It felt somewhat warm. As the goop rose up around him covering his pj's he took in a needed breath. Slowly the slime came to rest beneath his chin. He opened his eyes, the tension slowly leaving his limbs, and looked up at his dad. His expression looking somewhat irked.

"So?" His dad asked. "How is it?"

"Um…" Kail said looking away. He felt awkward. Like some wild lusus on display. "Okay, I guess…"

"Do you want me to leave you to it?" His dad pulled his arms out of the goop and dried them on a nearby towel.

Kail looked up to his dad his lids growing heavy and nodded subtly. "Yeah."

"Alright." The man left closing the door behind him. "Have a good rest." He heard him say through the wall, and the next thing Kail knew the world was gone.


	6. New kid

Kail laughed as he watched Tallos fumble falling on his face for the third time in the last 7 hours. "Man, you suck at that."

"W-well, you try to… uh… function new legs after being paralyzed and stuck to a wheel device for half an epoch." The young troll sat up readjusting his new mechanical legs so that they were in front of him.

Kail nodded. "I get it man. Sorry, it's just fun to watch."

"T-that's c-cool… I-I guess…" Tallos stuttered.

"Don't worry Tallos!" Joy said, "You'll be running up and down these halls in no time!"

"What Joy said." Kail said resting his head on his propped hand. Tallos was a good guy, he knew this was good for him, and maybe it would even boost the guy's rock bottom confidence.

"Y-yeah." Tallos said as he went to stand again, swaying a bit as he tried to catch himself. His large long horns swinging around dangerously. "After I master walking I'm going for the stares!"

"Whoa," Ekada said standing up from his desk where he'd been tinkering with some robotic junk. "That would be unacceptable! You must take head- I must implore that you master flat ground before attempting to explore the stairs."

"Pfft, just because you're going into robotics doesn't mean you know what's going on." Kail said. "If Tallos thinks he's up for it that's all that fucking matters."

"Right!" Joy said clapping her hands together.

"T-thanks you guys." Tallos said quietly.

Just then the instructor walked in. He was a very tall blue blood with a booming voice. "Alright you wigglers take your seats- we're going to be going over myths and legends this rise!"

"Fun-fucking-tastic." Kail said dryly as the kids in the room found their seats.

Suddenly there was a knock on the study room door and a young pail skinned boy waked in. He was wearing red sunglasses and had sandy gray hair. "Hey, man, this the 3rd epoch block?"

"Oh, that's right, are you Devan Scourge?"

The boy nodded subtly. "In the flesh."

"Class, it skipped my mind but we have a new student this turn, he moved here all the way from the forest town of Scales. Make him feel welcome."

Kail watched the kid as he made his way to the back of the room finding an empty desk. Something prickled in the back of his mind, and his stomach turned. He hadn't felt this way sense his father got him his recuperacoon a couple turns ago. Forcing himself to ignore it Kail looked back to the front of the class and silently decided he'd have nothing to do with this Devan person.

* * *

**AN:** Okay a quick chapter.

I've come to the realization that this is a growing up/realization/friends story... there will be action and drama and all sorts of things but its very focused on Kail's mental state...


	7. Half

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] started hounding adiosToreador -

(CG is red, AT is brown)

CG: HEY, NUMB NUTS, HOW ARE YOU FEELING?

AT: aLL RIGHT, i GUESS…

CG: I FEEL KIND OF BAD. I DIDN'T THINK YOU'D FALL LIKE THAT.

AT: nO… iT'S NOT YOUR FAULT…uM… i – i SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CAREFUL.

CG: YEAH, YOU SHOULD HAVE!

CG: BUT STILL, I FEEL BAD. IF JOY AND I HADN'T TOLD YOU THAT YOU COULD DO IT, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE FALLEN DOWN ALL THOSE DAMN STARES.

AT: hA, yEAH… mABY…

AT: bUT IT'S OKAY. i PREFER IT WHEN YOU GUYS BELIEVE IN ME, rATHER THAN WHEN YOU DON'T…

CG: …

CG: YEAH.

AT: hEY, wHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW KID? dEVAN?

CG: WHAT'S THERE TO THINK ABOUT?

CG: I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.

CG: I DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM.

AT: w-wHAT? w-wHY? dO YOU NOT LIKE HIM?

CG: I GUESS NOT?

CG: I DON'T REALLY KNOW, HE JUST GIVES ME A BAD VIBE.

AT: w-wOW, yOU WERE THE LAST PERSON I THOUGH WOULD BE SO HARSH ON HIM.

CG: WHAT?

CG: WHY?

CG: WHAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA?

AT: wELL, cONSIDERING YOU'RE RAISED BY HUMANS… i UH, dIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE SUCH A BID DEAL.

AT: tO YOU...

CG: WHAT IN THE SHIT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT TALLOS?

AT: w-wELL, hE'S HALF TROLL

CG: HALF TROLL?

AT: a-aND HALF HUMAN…

CG: …

CG: … …. …..

CG: …..

AT: yOU OKAY KAIL?

CG: YEAH.

CG: I THINK I NEED TO GO TO SLEEP FOR A WHILE.

CG: I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER OKAY BRO?

AT: uH… uM… iF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT.

AT: i UH… gUESS I'LL TALK TO YOU LATER.

CG: OKAY, YEAH- GOOD- LATER TAL

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] stopped hounding adiosToreador -

Kail closed the window to his Hounding application and stared dumfound at the screen. Half troll, half human? It was possible? He felt a small jitter of excitement in his stomach as it dawned on him. No one ever had said that it wasn't, he just assumed- because trolls were always with trolls and humans were always with humans- in the romance area anyway. He put his head in his hand and let out a strained laugh. Gog he was such an idiot.

Here he had been spending the larger portion of his life letting himself feel hopeless because he had red feelings for a human. A human he thought he could never be with- and there was nothing wrong with it? Man was he dense. Dense as fucking lusus hide.

It's alright, he figured, he could see for himself in the second rise of the day.


	8. Sollux

"Na man you aren't getting it." Devan said to Edwan, a scrawny sea troll with hipster glasses. "I am the master of beats, the wilder of rhythm, no one is faster, no one's wilder. Devan Scourge has got all the beats and makes all the scores. With the ladies."

Edwan's eyes shown with excitement. "Show me!" He said excitedly drawling out his 'w' as was usual for him.

Devan looked the troll up and down with scrutiny. "Man, I'll see what I can do but this swag can't be taught- it's something you're born with."

"I'm born with it!" Edwan said proudly. "There's no way I'm not! I'm from a strong race of sea trolls- aint no more 'swaggy' than that."

"Pfft!" Devan let out a dry laugh. "Whatever man."

Kail stood at the study door watching Devan, nervous he looked away before the cool kid noticed. Walking toward his desk he smiled uneasily at Joy. "H-hey Joy."

"Hello Kail! How's first rise going for you?"

"Good." Kail said glancing toward Devan.

Joy noticed. "Is something wrong?"

Kail scratched his nose absently. "Not really." With that he took his seat.

Devan was suddenly standing next to him. "Hey K, what's up?" Kail looked to him a bit shocked.

Kail looked away gritting his teeth as that uneasy feeling nagged at the back of his head. "Nothing much." He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to talk to this kid like he had hoped. The way his emotions were raging at the moment, he felt like running.

"Cool." Devan said. "Hey, is it true that you're different?"

Kail looked up to him confused. "Different?"

"Yeah, I heard you were a bit of an oddity."

Kail felt his skin bristle. What was this kid's deal? Was he trying to piss him off? "No more of an oddity than you I suppose." Kail said struggling to keep his voice level.

"True." Devan said. "So is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"A little birdy told me you were raised with a human family because of your mutant blood."

Kail didn't know what came over him, he felt his blood burn… then… then the next thing he knew Devan was on the ground rubbing the side of his face looking shocked. The boy's glasses a few feet away from him. Kail was standing up breathing hard and he could fill a numb sting dancing across his knuckles. "Kail!" Joy pushed passed the troll and went to the downed boy. "Are you okay Devan?"

Kail took a step back, his chest hurt, and there was a roaring in his ears. Without a word he ran forward pushing himself out of the room. He didn't make it far before he curled covering his mouth as bile escaped him.

He trembled as red liquid tears fell into the mess on the floor. What had come over him? He'd always been a bit snippy, cussed a bit too much, but his temper had never before been this short. Then there was Joy. She was pissed, she'd never forgive him. He just knew it.

He heaved again, nothing but air and spit escaping him. His body just kept convulsing. It did finally settle though and he drew his arm across his mouth as his nerves went down and he could breathe again. He looked at the spilled contents of his food sack. He wasn't sure if he should find a building cleaner or if he should just clean the mess up himself.

"Dude are you okay?"

Kail leaned against the wall slightly, looking up, to see a human boy standing in front of him. "Do I look fucking okay to you?"

"Actually you look like thit." The kid said honestly shifting his feet slightly.

Kail tried to fight back a small bitter grin. "Fuck you."

"Fine, I'll athk a different way. Do you need a hand?"

Kail chuckled bitterly as he weakly worked himself to his feet. "I'm not sure." He admitted.

"Whoa man, you look like you're about to path out." The strange kid grabbed Kail by the shoulders and helped him over to a hall bench. "I'll go thee if I can't find a hall cleaner." He said walking off.

Kail's eyes began to close as he was struck by a sudden exhaustion.

_"If you hate yourthelf tho much than why don't you jutht hate marry yourthelf?"_

_"Maybe I will you insufferable nook sucking wiggler!"_

_…_

_He stared at the screen of his husktop completely incapable of believing exactly what his eyes were telling him. The troll on the screen was dead. He was dead and it was all his fault. NO! Get up you fucking nook sucker! This isn't fucking funny! Covering yourself in honey… yeah that's right it's just honey… Please tell me it's just honey. Please… oh god. He's not moving. Oh god! OH GOD! _

_He was pretty much flipping his shit right now. There was no more time for make believe. The troll was dead. He felt tears begin to slip from his eyes. Damn it. The game had barley even started and he was already showing what a fuck up of a leader he was-_

_I failed. I failed everyone. All of this was my fault, from the very beginning. He gave it cancer. He did…_

"Hey, man," Kail woke to a light shake of his shoulder. "Thnap out of it dude."

"Hu?" Looking up he found the kid from before holding a damp wash cloth. There was a troll cleaner mopping up his mess.

"Here, I thoked a towel for you. Wipe off your handth, I'm thure they're groth and thticky."

"Yeah." Kail took the offered rag and began whipping his hands clean. "Thanks"

"No prob."

"Are you a new student too? Or are you from the other 3rd epoch's instruction?" Kail asked unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

"Nah, I'm in the 4th epoch'th training courthe."

Kail looked up at him surprised. "Oh, really, sorry you looked younger."

"That'th becauthe I am!" The kid laughed a somewhat throaty laugh. "I moved up an epoch, becauthe I'm the fucking bomb."

"Oh," Kail said. "Whoopty-do for you. Fuck."

"Hell, don't be like that. It'th not like I'm really all that thmart or anything. Actually I honethly thuck."

"That's hard to fucking believe." Kail said. "Skipping a whole epoch is nearly unheard of."

The boy shrugged running his long fingers through a thick mop of cinnamon brown hair. "Tho… you planning on going back to the thtudy?"

"I was actually strongly considering bailing out this rise." Kail said. "The new kid and I don't mix well."

"That thucks." Pulling off his red and blue shades the kid whipped them off on his yellow shirt before slipping them back onto his red and blue eyes. "Wanna hang out with me then?"

"Sure…" Kail stood setting the towel aside. "I'm Kail by the way."

The boy smiled a lopsided smile his head tilting slightly. "Nith to meet you, I'm Thollux."

Kail stared a moment. "Sollux?"

The boy nodded. "You got it."

Something nagged at Kail's mind, something similar to the feeling he got when he saw Devan. Swallowing Kail took a step back. "I- I just remembered. I've got to be somewhere." With that he spun and took off running.


	9. I have?

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] started hounding torturedGardian [TG]-

(CG types in red, TG types in orange)

CG: PLEASE, PLEASE BE IN THE MOOD TO SPOUT SOME KIND OF NONSENSICAL DRIVEL.

CG: I NEED A DISTRACTION.

CG: SERIOUSLY.

CG: DUDE, DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE NOT EVEN THERE.

CG: I'M GOING FUCKING CRAZY HERE.

TG: hey man what's up

CG: HOLLY SHIT MAN!

CG: WHAT TOOK YOU SO DAMN LONG?

TG: calm your tits dude

TG: just dealing with

TG: …

TG: family

CG: THAT ELLIPSE SEAMED KIND OF HESITANT.

TG: it's complicated

CG: NO! FUCK!

CG: DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON COMPLICATED!

CG: WHAT'S COMPLICATED IS WAKING UP SO CONFUSED I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER MY OWN DAMN NAME!

CG: WHAT SUCKS IS PISSING OFF MY FRIENDS BECAUSE I FREAK OUT OVER GOD KNOWS WHAT!?

TG: okay

TG: chill dude i got it

TG: you're stressed

CG: STRESSED? STRESSED?

CG: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

CG: I AM WAY PAST STRESSED! I AM TWO STEPS AWAY FROM FLIPPING MY SHIT SO HARD, THE SHIT WONT EVEN KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO IT!

CG: FUCK…

CG: … WHEN DID I START TYPING IN RED?

TG: dude…

TG: you've always typed in read

CG: I HAVE?

CG: …

CG: I HAVE.

CG: GOG DAMN IT!

CG: I THINK…

CG: I NEED TO GO LIE DOWN.

TG: you sure you're going to be okay man

CG: NO.

CG: THANKS FOR NOTHING YOU ASSHOLE.

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] stopped hounding torturedGardian [TG]-

TG: …

TG: Fuck

-torturedGardian [TG] stopped hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Kail slapped the power button on the monitor and leaned back pressing his palms into his eyes. "Shit!" He hissed.

Every minute that passed had him feeling more and more like he needed to be in a restraint jacket. How did he forget that he's always typed in red?

The door to his room opened then as Xane walked in. "Kail?" He said a bit surprised as he sat his bag down behind the door. "What are you doing here?"

Kail looked to his brother before glaring down at his lap. "No reason."

"I heard something happened in your study." Xane said. "Someone punched the new kid… was that you?"

Kail's fist balled and he gritted his teeth. Of course Xane would know about it- hell by next Turn everyone would. He couldn't imagine how he could ever go back to training. He'd royally screwed up.

Xane sighed walking over to his bed he sat down. The top bunk had been turned into a laundry collector after Kail stopped using the bottom bunk. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Kail opened his mouth and a strained sound slipped passed his tight vocal cords. He closed his mouth. Swallowing he closed his eyes and tried again. "I don't know." He said honestly. "I don't even know where to start."

Xane scratched the back of his head absently. "Well… you could start with… what happened."

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!" Kail growled his shoulders shuttering.

There was a stiff silence as Xane waited for Kail to calm down.

"It was the new kid…" Kail said. "I… I don't like him."

"Why not?"

"I don't know." Kail said. "When he's around… I feel like I do when I wake up from a nightmare. Like I've done something wrong." Xane studied Kail as he spoke, listening quietly. "I decided to leave him alone… for my own sanity…"

"That didn't happen though?"

"Well…" Kail un-balled and re-balled his fist as his heart beat uncomfortably hard in is chest. "I… found out that he was half troll and half human…"

"Wow, cool." Xane said. "Does he have horns?"

Kail shook his head. "I don't…think so? Fuck. Does it matter? Do you want to hear my story or not?"

"Yeah, it was just interesting info. Half species are rare."

Kail nodded, biting his tong. "Yeah."

Xane waited a moment as Kail glared down at the ground till it became apparent that his brother wasn't going to continue. "So what you punched him because he's different?" Xane prodded trying to get the story moving again.

"NO!" Kail said standing, the chair he was sitting in toppled to the ground. "Fuck! Why would you say that!?"

"I didn't think that was the reason Kail… I was just trying to get you to continue."

Kail face palmed. "Damn it! You fucking nook sucker! Fuck you! Fuck you!"

"Sorry." Xane said looking away.

"No. I didn't mean it." Kail said looking worried. "You know that right? You're not mad at me right?"

Xane shrugged. "Not about that. I'm just confused right now."

"About what?"

"About what's going on with you."

Kail stared at Xane dumbfounded. "Why?"

"You are… always in a bad mood…"

"I'm nearing the end of my 3rd epoch." Kail said dismissively looking at anything but his brother. "It's normal to be moody… some shit about hormones and what not…"

Xane took a breath. "Yeah. I guess. So, why did you punch the new kid?"

"Jegus!" Kail grabbed a handful of his hair in frustration. "I don't know okay! We were just in the room. He was talking to Edwan and next thing I know he's all up in my fucking personal space bubble asking questions."

"What kind of questions?"

"Like if it was true that I was raised by humans…" Kail said and his body started to tremble as he went on. "He said I was raised by humans because of…" Kail trailed of his throat so tight it hurt.

"Because of what?" Xane asked, but Kail just stared at the ground his eyes wide as his shoulders shook. "Kail…?"

Kail snapped. "BECAUSE OF MY MUTANT BLOOD! OKAY!? FUCKING ASSHOLE! FUCK HIM! FUCK HIS STUPID SHARED SPECIES! FUCK HIS STUPID SHADES AND COOL GUY ATTITUDE! I DON'T CARE! I DON'T FUCKING CARE! HE CAN GO CRAWL IN A DAMN HOLE FOR ALL I CARE AND FUCKING ROT TO DEATH A THOUSAND TIMES OVER!"

The next thing Kail knew Xane was hugging him and his face was wet with tears. "It's okay…" Xane said.

"I'm a freak! Why was I stuck with this strange blood color?"

"It's okay dude." Xane repeated.

"No, it's not…" Kail bit back, and stepped away from his brother. "I've never cared before… about my blood. Living with you and dad is awesome! I don't know why it fucking matters now! It doesn't! It shouldn't!"

"It doesn't." Xane said setting down in the desk chair.

Kail new Xane was trying to help but those two words tightened around his heart like a vice. He wanted it to matter- and he didn't know why.

* * *

**AN:**  
Anger! :O  
Well... now what?

Please leave a review It'll make me supper happy! :)


	10. Creation

The first thing that happened as Kail nervously walked into the study room was a shock of pain as he was greeted with a light gray fist.

"What the fuck!?" Kail blurted rubbing his face as he looked up at Devan. The kid had a blank face, his mouth played out in the typical cool guy fashion despite the obvious bruising that peaked around his glasses. Kail's stomach turned as he gaped up at the kid.

Devan let a small smirk pay on his lips before offering his had to help Kail up. "Payback." He said bluntly.

"What the fuck?" Kail said again. It seemed his vocabulary had been knocked out of him with the hit leaving him with just those three words.

Devan grabbed Kail's hand and lifted him up. Kail stumbled a bit as he found his feet. "I thought it would make you feel better. Let you know I get it."

"Shit, get what?" Kail asked numbly.

"I crossed a line, and I'm sorry."

Kail stared at the kid. He hadn't expected an apology. He was expecting everyone to hate on him, since it was so hard for him to apologize. He figured he'd just have to feel like shit for the rest of the epoch. Now he didn't know what to feel. That feeling in the back of his head snapped and he realized he hadn't been feeling hate for this kid. It was something this kid made him think about that made him angry. However there was a different feeling now. He felt like he'd known Devan for a long time. He felt like they were… bros. Kail swallowed. "You douche bag. What the hell- having to take the spot for the better man before I even get the chance. You're a real asshole you know that."

"Yeah." Devan said trying not to laugh.

"So…" Kail said looking down a bit embarrassed. "We cool?"

The half troll looked legitimately surprised for a moment before replacing his cool. "Like the polar ice caps." Devan said.

"Kail, Devan." The two boys looked to the door of the study to see Joy standing there, a smile on her face. "I'm glad to see you're getting along."

"Joy!" Kail blurted shocked.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Joy asked as Kail looked down ashamed.

"I'm sorry about last turn… c-can- I mean… we're still friends… right?"

"What?" Joy laughed and Kail felt the frown on his face deepen. Joy stopped. "Seriously Kail? We've been friends forever. Just because you lost your temper doesn't mean that'll change."

Kail rubbed his eyes, and walked to his desk. "Thanks."

A couple more students walked in and the study room slowly began to grow in noise. Kail sighed.

"Hey… Kail."

"Hum?" Kail asked looking up to Joy.

"You missed the last lesson…"

"Oh, right, can I barrow your notes?"

Joy nodded. "I think we're studying them."

"What?" Kail asked, confused by the statement. Joy looked uncomfortable. "Studding who?"

"The strange blue and orange guys from folds ago… you remember them?"

Kail looked down to her notes and saw illustrations. One was of a person clad in blue, one of a winged orange human. Kail stared, there were others, but Joy had put those two on top. She must have been looking at them. Fretting over it.

"I got these pictures from the web… I just wanted to see if the written descriptions were accurate."

"They look a lot like them… well… sort of." Kail said lifting the picture of the blue figure, it was an idealized human wrapped in a blue cloth, the length of it flying out behind him. Small words were typed at the bottom.

'God of the Wind.'

He picked up the orange guys illustration. It was a silhouette of a human figure with flaming wings. The guy in the picture was holding a sword. 'Demi God- sometimes referred to as Angel of Time'

"Are you telling me those two were from the mythos that we're studding now?" Kail asked too shocked to look away from the images.

Joy shrugged. "I don't know… but it's a little too scary of a coincidence…" She mumbled.

Kail nodded.

Devan walked over then. "Hey guys what are you looking at?" His face hardened as he saw the images. He grabbed the orange one from Kail.

"Hey!"

"I've seen… this before…"

"Where?"

"In my dreams…" Devan said. Then he pushed the pictures out so that they were all pretty much visible. He frowned. "This is weird."

"What?" Joy asked.

He pointed to the God of Space, and then to the God of Heart. "These two… they seem familiar as well."

Joy placed a finger on the God of Space. "She is supposedly the ancestor of my family." She said.

"You're family has a god as an ancestor?" Devan asked.

Joy nodded. "She was said to be very kind!"

"Cool." Devan said, still studying the images intently.

"Okay! Take your seats!" The instructor bellowed as he walked in.

Kail studied the images of the god's as the instructor set up a projector. "Alright we're going to continue from where we started yesterday." He said.

"I gave you all the names of the gods and the basic creation story. Does anyone remember it?"

Joy raised her hand. "The gods gathered to create the world."

The instructor nodded. "Very good! Can anyone…" He started as he hit a button and an image appeared. "Tell me who this might be?"

Kail stared the figure- whoever it was they had a strangely familiar symbol on them.

Tallos spoke up, razing his one arm that wasn't in a cast. "I-Isn't it the angel of b-blood?"

"Not quite!" The instructor barked, "It is the Knight of Blood, said to have been a magical troll who preordains the blood that runs through our veins. He is considered a demi god."

Kail's fist balled as the room faded away.

_This damn planet. It was obvious it was just another way the gods or whatever were screwing with him. Rubbing it in his face. He stared down into the red liquid that ran in multiple endless rivers around him. Slapping him in the face with his mutant blood. It was like some kind of sick joke. Or maybe more like a punishment.  
That had to be it, he was obviously being punished for something. Something he did in a past life- or something he had yet to do in the future. Whatever it was it was obvious that the fates were out to get him._

"Kail…" Kail came too with Joy whispering at him.

"Oh, man, what?" he asked.

"You were spacing out- mumbling to yourself- don't get into trouble- okay."

Kail nodded turning his attention back to the front of the class where the instructor continued his lecture going over the different aspects of ancient myth's and they're metaphorical meanings.

Kail couldn't help but start to wonder about calling them myths and he sure as hell wasn't going to look at the God of Wind as some kind of metaphor.

The study was coming to its first brake. They'd have to deal with a different instructor soon, and Kail took the moment to look to his left staring out the window. After the next instructor the class would be dismissed for *repast, and as the first rise reached halfway the study would be over. Most humans would probably go home and sleep for a couple hours.

Kail sighed the turn was just way to damn long, yet he was far from wanting sleep. The fear of falling back into the nightmares was too great- even though it had been more than a fold sense the last one he'd had.


	11. 2o I finaly found you

"Tho… finally found you."

Kail looked up, surprised to see the human Sollux standing next to his table. Tallos and Joy looked up as well, both equally confused. Devan continued to sculpt his mashed potatoes and grub sauce. "Sollux!" Kail blurted, chocking on his food. It was a fail on his part. He was trying to hide his surprise. He coughed. "What are you doing here? 4th epoch doesn't eat this hour."

Sollux shrugged. "Mehh, I thkipped. No biggy." He whistled noticing Kail's black eye. "Nice shiner."

"Who's your friend Kail?" Joy asked.

Kail looked to Joy horrified. He really didn't want to relive that day. "I thought it wath kind a weird how you ran off. I wanted to thee if you came back. Tho did you make up with the new kid?"

Devan looked up at this point. "We're cool man- chill like the first flakes of winter. Damn." Devan frowned as the sculpture collapsed.

"Oh, tho you're the new kid?" Sollux asked.

"That's what they keep tellin' me." Devan said. "I keep sayin' no- you got it all wrong the names Devan- but damn the heads are thick around here."

Sollux raised a brow obviously amused. "Okay…"

"How did you two meet?" Joy asked curios and happy as ever.

Kail stood. "We-

"I found this douche bag puking his guts out in the hall a couple of turns ago."

Kail felt his blood start to burn and his body went stiff as he trembled with embarrassment. "SHUT Up! Ass face!" Kail managed to lower his voice before he finished his sentence. "No one need's to know about that!"

Sollux was laughing as Kail had grabbed him by the head and practically put him in a head lock. Kail let him go immediately when he realized what he was doing. Sollux just bit back his laughter. "You're probably right." He grinned a slightly evil grin and Kail felt a chill run down his spine. He didn't think humans could make such frightening faces. "I though it wath important to remind you about it though."

Kail slowly sat back down. "Why?" He asked.

"Becauthe I have a favor to athk of you. If you feel you owe me- I reathoned- you'd probably be more willing to athithst."

"Assist?" Kail asked, "Assist in what?"

The smile that spread across Sollux's face made Kail shutter.


	12. WigglingTurn

"Hey, bro!" Xane said putting an arm around Kail as he stepped out of the bathroom. "Happy wriggling turn!"

"What?" Kail looked at Xane surprised. "Oh… yeah… cool."

Xane looked at Kail worried. "Hey… you okay?"

Kail sighed. "Just great. Except that I was suckered into helping out a repugnant douche today. Man, I don't even care. What's so great about wriggling days anyway? Not even worth a molecule of my attention let alone celebrating. I mean really what a stupid ritual- commemorating the bane of my existence."

"Wriggling… days?" Xane asked looking confused but he shook his head. "No man you just don't get it-

"Well maybe I don't want to." Kail said shoving his brother's arm off of him. "I have to go get ready- no need to incur that guy's wrath…"

* * *

**AN:  
**Its a short short chapter but It refused to be anything more- so I guess this is what I'm posting for my 411th view? LoL 2 more and I'll have 413! :D


	13. Crabdad

"KrrrKaaa! Vaaaaa!" Kail fell over, dropping the box of food, surprised and shocked as the large crab like luses stood over him. "KrrrrrrrrKaaaaa!" It hissed again.

"What are you doing?!" Sollux was on the sidewalk above the cage he was in. "Are you trying to get yourthelf killed!?" Sollux jumped the fence and slid down behind the large beast.

Upon hearing his approach the lusus spun on the human and hissed angrily. "Taaaathhhhsssss!"

"Get out of here!" Kail growled, getting to his feet. "I've got it under control!"

"Fuck that thit!" Sollux spat back. "This crab luthuths is one of the thortest tempered luthuths on the planet! It'll beat you to a bloody pulp without a thecond thought!"

"Then you should just let it!" Kail growled.

"Why did you come in here anyway?! What were you thinking?" Sollux asked looking around the hissing lusus, he was hoping he could handle it, if it decided to attack.

"You told me to feed the lusus!" Kail snapped. "That's what I'm doing!"

"I put you in the aria with the fairy bullth for a reathon you thick thit!"

"I already fed them! You asked me to help you feed your damn zoo so that's what I'm doing!"

"Rarrr!" Sollux growled. "You are inthufferable!" The lusus hissed angrily at him and made a move. Taking a step back Sollux rolled to dodge.

"Shit!" Kail activated his strife siledex and pulled out his scythe. "Leave him alone!" He ran between the human and lusus.

"No!" Sollux shouted as Kail caught the crab's claw with the curl of his blade. The two stood off staring each other down. Kail felt a smile fall on his face. Something about this just felt right.

"Alright!" Kail said hopping back. "You want to go!?"

"Krrrrr!" The lusus purred.

In a flash the two of them were exchanging blows. Sollux watched, too shocked to respond. Kail danced around the lusus's claws. The lusus gave Kail enough room to back away and catch his breath before going back to the fight. It almost looked like the lusus was playing with him. Catching Kail under the foot and throwing his claws up. The young troll flipped over the creature's head. Kail laughed as a rush filled him. He landed flat on the ground and the two charged each other.

Suddenly, the lusus stopped as he caught Kail on the face tearing away a good chunk of skin. Kail fell to a knee the unexpected pain catching him off guard. The lusus walked up to him slowly, and let out a soft "Vaannntassssss."

Kail looked to it breathing heard. "What?" He asked taking his hand from his cheek to pat the lusus on what he assumed was its snout leaving a bit of his blood on its face. "You worried about me? What a strange lusus…"

"Y-y-your blood!" Sollux said in shock.

The lusus got between Kail and Sollux hissing angrily at the human. "Whoa! Whoa!" Kail said standing up. "It's okay. He's okay!" He ran in-between the boy and the beast, holding out his hands. His scythe tucked back into the strife card.

Kail turned his head to look at Sollux the gash in his cheek was bleeding profusely, but his eyes showed he was in control. "Sollux. Get out of here."

"Wait! Kail! Thith ith crazy! Do you realize what ith going on?"

Kail looked to the lusus crab. "Not really. Does it matter!?" He growled staring the crab down.

The lusus studied him for a moment before it snorted and turned, leaving. It picked up the box of chilled roe cubes that Kail had dropped. Sighing, Kail relaxed.

"That was awesome!" Sollux grabbed Kail by the hand and dragged him out of the cage. "Fuck, I was scared! I didn't know there were any troll's with the same blood as Crabdad!"

"What?" Kail asked stumbling as they came to a stop and Sollux slammed the door shut.

"You're blood!" Sollux said. "Ithn't it obviouth?"

"No." Kail said putting his hand to the cut on his cheek feeling self-conches.

"That luthuths is an enigma- people have been trying to figure it out for yearth- they thought maybe it was natureth failed attempt for the luthuth to live with humanth."

"Dude. I don't know what you're talking about."

Sollux looked at Kail his face covered in excitement. "What luthuths raithed you? Most trollth are raised by luthuths that share their blood color is there another-" He stopped seeing the distraught look on Kail's face. "Whoo!" The human let out a stiff breath. "Well he wath the last of them- that ith if you got all the one'th I told you to feed. Wanna go play some gameth?"

Kail looked at Sollux confused. "Uh… sure?"


	14. Easy on the Hardware

"FFFFFUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCKKKK!" Kail growled tossing the game remote down.

"Hey eathy on the hardware!"

"I can't even touch you! What kind of shitty pink monkey tricks are you pulling!?"

"Hey, I'm very thenthitive about my pink monkey heritage." Sollux said laughing.

"Don't patronize me you stupid ass-face!"

"Hey, don't take it perthonally." Sollux said. "Games, computerth… they're jutht, like, my thing."

Kail stared angrily at the screen. Sollux sighed. "I'm gonna go make something to snack on. Want something?"

"Why did you ask me to come over?" Kail asked.

Sollux stopped and stared at him a moment. "I kinda tricked you tho I wouldn't have to work tho hard to help take care of my family'th zoo. My dad uthually helpth but he had to go on a buthineth trip."

"That's not what I meant."

Sollux shrugged. "I don't know. You theem cool. I don't have many friendth. Do I really need a reathon?"

Kail shrugged. "No I guess not." He let out a frustrated sigh.

"Okay." Sollux said. "I'm craving thome popcorn- ith that alright with you KK?"

Shock hit Kail and he looked to Sollux startled. "What did you just call me?"

"Hu?" Sollux looked to him confused. "Um…" He looked up scratching his head. "I thaid Kail didn't I?"

"No. You said KK- why did you say KK?"

Sollux looked uncomfortable. "Did I?"

"Yes you did." Kail glared at Sollux.

"It mutht have been a thlip of the tong. Theesh, Kail. What'th it matter?"

Kail grabbed his head. "It matters because-!" He felt his nerves start to fray. "I don't know!"

"Okay, hey, thorry." He let out of one of his throaty laughs. "You want me to go get your luthuths to calm you down?"

Kail bristled. "I don't have a lusus you fuck ass!"

"I wath talking about Crabdad you thtupid thit!" Sollux snapped back anger slipping into his voice.

Kail stared at him for a moment dumbfounded before he busted out laughing. "Man, you're fucking awesome!"

"Don't need to tell me, I already know." Sollux grinned.

"Yeah, yeah. Where's that damn popcorn you promised?"

"Oh, you actually want thome now?"

"No, I just asked about it because I fucking hate popcorn." Kail said sarcastically.

A few minutes later the boys were playing games again while eating popcorn. "Fuck! Damn! Shit!" Kail hissed. "You shitty bag of pink wiggling flesh! You knew popcorn would make my hands greasy as fuck! I can't play like this!"

"Calm your tit'th Kail, I've got the thame thing going on with my controller." He frowned as he rolled the second joy stick under his greasy thumb. "Thit, this wath a bad idea. Theth controllerth are ruined. Hehe. Good thing they were already thit."

"What about that whole 'don't throw the hardware' bit you gave me earlier?" Kail asked gritting his teeth slightly as he tried to get his computer-sona behind Sollux's character and around his defenses.

"It'th jutht good edict. Throwing controllerth ith a bad habit. Trutht me."

"Yeah, yeah." Kail looked to the side to see the time keeper on the wall. "Oh shit! Is it really that late?" He dropped the remote as he stood. He was losing anyway. "Shit I got to go!"

"Um… okay. Thee you around, I gueth." Sollux said as Kail ran for the door.

"Yeah see you at the institute!" Kail hollered back as he left.


	15. Cake

When Kail walked into the house he could smell the buttery aroma of baked goods- more specifically the human concoction known as cake. He closed the door slipping off his black running shoes. "I'm back!" He hollered.

"There you are!" Kail grimaced slightly as his dad hugged him. This kind of affection was embarrassing, and awkward. "Happy 5th wiggling turn!"

"Yeah." Kail said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. He usually didn't care how annoyed he came across, but with his family it was different.

"So did you have fun helping your friend?" His father asked as he let him go.

"So Xane told you about that?" The young troll asked not really surprised. He was surprised though that Xane hadn't sent out a search party for him. His older brother was the definition of over protective.

"Yeah- you were gone a whole rise and I was starting to wonder if you were planning on coming back at all."

"You make it sound like I'm looking for an escape."

"Well." His dad laughed. "Maybe you are? I don't know what you're thinking half the time." His dad frowned studding his face. "What happened? Did you injure yourself?"

Kail lightly ran his fingers over the gauze taped haphazardly over his cheek. "Nah, not really. It's just a scratch."

"If you say so… Come on." His father said his worry slipping away. The old man happily patted the kid on his shoulder and started down the hall. "We've got food in the kitchen- let's eat and have some cake."

Kail let out a sigh, as a small smile fell on his face. "Fine." With that he fallowed his father into the house, happy to be home.

He'd never admit it out loud though.


	16. Good night

Kail smiled as he slipped off his shirt, the small get together with his family went well. To celebrate his father had gotten him a new grub game and a book on programming. He knew he wasn't very good at either of those things but he'd always had an interest in them. His father was grate at knowing what to get him. Xane was also in a better mood than he had been the last few folds. He gave Kail a cd of some of his favorite tunes he had yet to get ahold of. He sat down on the edge of his recuperacoon as Xane walked in.

"Hey." He said unable to hide his smile.

"You seem to be in a good mood today."

Kail laughed. "Yeah. I guess. Things are looking up. I haven't had any nightmares in folds- and I have a couple new friends. I even had a great fight with a lusus today."

"What?" Xane asked looking surprised. "You fought a lusus?"

"Well, it was a friendly brawl." Kail said with a laugh. "Don't worry bro, you've been fretting over me too much. It's starting to get creepy."

Xane grabbed an eraser sitting on the desk and threw it at Kail. "Shut up. I'm just looking after my hopeless kid brother."

Kail laughed as the rubber object bounced off of him. "Sure." He yawned. "I'm going to crash." Kail slipped into the slime.

"Yeah." Xane said flopping onto his bed. "Me too."

* * *

**AN:** Sorry the last two chapters have been short. I don't do it on purpose. They just like being short. The next chapter will be longer. I promise :D

Thanks again for reading! To all my 7 story followers and every single viewer! (Who knows how many of you there actually are! lol)


	17. Only fair

_It hurt. The red blood seemed to be everywhere. What had happened? He didn't know. He could see that hateful face above him covered in clear human tears. Why was the god of wind crying over him? He coughed. Shit. Why did he have to die surrounded by his mutant blood? The fates really had it out for him. He knew there were ways to die that didn't involve bleeding out. He felt his breath catch in his throat. What a shitty way to die. He grinned, but it wasn't a happy smile. It was a bitter acceptance. This was his fault after all. Once he died the code would run its course and the curse would end. Maybe then the others would be able to escape such a shitty end. His eyes blurred for a second and then she was standing there. He felt his heart break. If only things had gone differently than maybe… he saw her take his outstretched hand. He couldn't feel it though, and it sent a small panic through him. The rush in his ears kept him from hearing the words she was saying. The gleeful smile she always wore was gone. Yeah. This really, really fucking sucked. Maybe though… if it was okay… to wish for it… maybe his death wasn't a complete waist. He'd managed to get them there after all._

_As he watched the troll girls teal tears roll down her face the world faded away to white._

Kail opened his eyes with a sudden gasp. As air rushed into his deprived lungs the room blurred into view. He groaned crawling out of his recuperacoon. A few minutes later he was dressed sitting at the computer.

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] started hounding gardenGnostic [GG]-

(CG types in gray, GG types in green)

CG: HEY JOY.

GG: hey kail! how are you? :)

GG: wow! :O

GG: you changed your, text

GG: when did you start typing in gray?

CG: OH, YEAH. IT JUST FEELS BETTER TO WRITE IN THIS COLOR.

CG: AND I'M… GOOD. I GUESS. HOW ARE YOU?

GG: oh…

GG: you don't sound okay… did something happen?

CG: …

CG: I HAD ANOTHER NIGHTMARE.

GG: oh no! :(

GG: i'm so sorry! do you want to talk about it?

CG: FUCK NO.

CG: I JUST WANT TO FORGET ALL ABOUT IT.

GG: i see!

GG: a distraction!

GG: i can help with that! :D

GG: yesterturn was your wiggling day right?

CG: SIGH. YEAH.

GG: well i got you a gift! :)

CG: JOY, TROLLS DON'T CELEBRATE THERE WIGGLING DAYS LIKE A HUMAN BIRTHTURN.

GG: heehee. kail don't even try to pretend your family didn't throw you a bash. they love you too much! there is nothing wrong with celebrating your existence! i'm glad to know you!

CG: YEAH…

CG: THANKS.

GG: ?

GG: seriously… what's wrong?

GG: i mean! :U

GG: wow it's hard to not ask what's wrong. i so fail at distracting!

GG: i just want you to be happy kail! :(

CG: HAHAHA! ITS OKAY, DON'T SPAZZ OUT ALL RIGHT. I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO HELP ME FORGET MY SHITTY PROBLEMS. ALSO, DON'T WORRY ABOUT DISTRACTING ME. I JUST WANTED TO TALK TO SOMEONE.

GC: YOU MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

Kail blushed after hitting the enter button. Why did he just send that? She's going to laugh at him. He face palmed himself for his own benefit.

GG: i'm glad! :)

GG: i want you to feel better. if talking to me helps you than! :D i'm happy too!

CG: I'M GLAD. (:B

CG: SO WHAT ABOUT YOU?

GG: hum? what about me?

CG: HOW ARE YOU THIS RISE?

GG: i'm… good. yeah! i'm great!

CG: OKAY NOW I CAN TOTALLY FUCKING TELL YOUR TRYING TO PULL THE SCRATCHY WOOL BEAST MATERIAL OF DECEIT OVER MY EYES. WHAT THE HELL JOY. WHAT'S UP? YOU CAN TALK TO ME. YOU KNOW THAT!

GG: i know! its just… i don't even know where to start… :(

GG: its kind of confusing… you know?

Kail sighed.

CG: NO, I DON'T KNOW, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT- IN ALL THIS CONVOLUTED MESS OF SPOUTED NONSENSE- YOU'RE EVEN TALKING ABOUT.

GG: hee hee. yeah, :)

GG: i guess you don't. hu?

GG: i'm just… i've been having some bad dreams lately too. :(

CG: OH. THAT SUCKS. WHAT ARE THEY ABOUT?

GG: no. i'm not telling you.

CG: WHAT? WHY THE FUCK NOT?

GG: well, why should it trust you with my dreams if you won't tell me what yours are?

CG: THAT ISN'T FUCKING FARE! MY DREAMS ARE ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! I DON'T LIKE HAVING THEM LET ALONE TALKING ABOUT THEM! YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THEM. YOU'RE DREAMS ARE WAY MORE IMPORTANT ANYWAY. I DON'T NEED ANY SPECIAL TREATMENT. JUST TELL ME WHAT YOU FUCKING DREAMED ABOUT!

GG: no.

CG: WHAT? YOU'RE BEING INFURIATING!

GG: well you're being a royal jerk!

CG: I'M JUST BEING A GOOD FUCKING FRIEND! HOW DOSE THAT MAKE ME A JERK!?

GG: no. no you're not! :(

GG: you are being unreasonable! you know i don't need any special treatment either! :(

CG: …

CG: YOU'RE RIGHT I'M SORRY. LET'S BOTH MAKE A PACT TO JUST NOT EVEN FUCKING ASK WHEN IT COMES TO OUR DREAMS.

CG: OKAY?

GG: kail that's not what i want. why can't you just talk to me?

CG: MAYBE I WILL. LATER.

CG: IN PERSON, MAYBE?

CG: IT'S JUST TOO MUCH TO TRY TO TALK ABOUT ON HOUNDING.

GG: okay... :/

GG: i understand. i'll see you later, i've got to get ready for training anyway.

CG: RIGHT. LATER.

-carcinoGeneticist [CG] stopped hounding gardenGnostic [GG]-

Kail let his head fall to the desk. Why did joy have to be so difficult?

He looked up at the time keeper on the screen of his desk top. 13:40. It was still early. Joy always had to get ready ridiculously early- she lived pretty far away. He still had about 3 hours before the rise. Sighing he clicked on his browser bringing up MSPadventures. The stupid story was taking a long intermission down 'what the fuck' lane but he didn't care. That was how the writer had his fun. If it wasn't for the fact that it was just awesome he'd probably just get pissed and never look at the site again. As he was reading the latest update his hounding application blinked.

Clicking on the tab he brought the window up to see who was bugging him now.

-tentacleTherapist [TT] started hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-  
(TT is light purple, CG is gray)

TT: I see you're typing in gray now.

TT: Could it be that the time is drawing near?

TT: Don't answer that.

TT: The question is rhetorical, because I know exactly when things will finally hit their climax.

CG: WHAT? WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?

TT: That does not matter.

TT: I am here to let you know, since it's becoming ever closer to the appointed time, I told HIM that it would be fine to visit you.

TT: I thought it was only fair that I warn you.

CG: WOW! WHAT A CRYPTIC FUCKING MESSAGE! I'M SHAKING IN MY BOOTS OVER HERE! SERIOUSLY! SCARED. SHITLESS.

CG: KID, IF THIS IS YOUR IDEA OF TROLLING TAKE SOME ADVICE FROM A REAL FUCKING TROLL AND GIVE UP WHILE YOU ARE AHEAD.

TT: Well, good luck.

-tentacleTherapist [TT] stopped hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Kail stared at the screen dumb founded. He had no idea what that was all about, and he began to wonder whether or not this TT person just messaged the wrong handle. Yet their mannerisms suggested otherwise. He really didn't want to know who they said could visit him. The fact that he was fretting over it even the slightest bit was ridiculous. It was a stupid prank. With a sigh Kail shut off his computer. There's no point in worrying over random internet shit.

He was about to get up to go eat something when his Hounding application went off again. "What the hell?" He clicked on the blinking bar and the chat box opened back up.

- torturedGardian [TG] started hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

(TG types in orange; CG types in gray)

TG: dude

TG: i tried but there was nothing for it

CG: WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT- WHY ARE YOU UP SO EARLY?

TG: man, I don't even know

TG: the shit has hit the fan

TG: and i can't hold back the crap filled wind anymore

CG: OKAY?

TG: you so aren't getting it

TG: kail

TG: lalonde let the rains go

TG: the fucking cat is out of the bag

TG: the crazed up chicken is out of its god damn coop

TG: the horses are out of the gate

TG: the fucking rat race is ON

TG: there's nowhere safe for you anymore

TG: i fill sorry for you man

CG: TG, THIS ISN'T FUNNY.

TG: no it's not

TG: this shit is serious

TG: just…

TG: beware of cracked doors dude

TG: you'll make it

TG: i have faith in you

- torturedGardian [TG] stopped hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Kail frowned hard at the screen. It was too damn early for TG to be teasing him.

* * *

**AN:**See? I told you it'd be longer! :D

Just another heads up. I will still try to update every other day at least but I can't promise it right now. Life is busy!


	18. Homes smell ya later

Joy ran up and hugged Kail as he walked into the room. "Kail! Happy belated wigglingturn!"

"Thanks." Kail said as Joy shoved a gift into his hands. "What is it?"

"Open it!" She said happily.

Kail pulled off the red wrapping paper unceremoniously. "Whoa." He said as the gift was revealed. "This is… wow Joy. Thank you."

"I thought you'd like it!" She said with a smile

Kail nodded as he ran his hand over the rainbow colored metal. "It's awesome."

"I found the code for it while I was exploring." Joy said. "I thought you'd appreciate it. It's called "Homes Smell Ya Later," isn't that awesome?"

Kail let a small laugh of amusement pass through his lips. "Wow. What a crazy name."

Joy shrugged. "I didn't name it- oh- but you better put it in your strife deck before anyone notices."

Kail nodded doing as she suggested, hiding the scythe in his strife silidex. "Thanks again."

"No problem!" Jade said happily. Kail went to walk forward only to fall flat on his face. "Kail!"

"Ow." Kail rubbed his face and went to stand up but his feet seemed tied together. He rolled over setting up and stared dumb founded at his shoes. Somehow his laces had magically tied themselves together.

He cussed unravelling the knot and retying his shoes. "What the hell?!"

"Are you okay?" Joy asked.

"Pfft. Ha, oh man. What the hell happened?" Devan asked.

"Shit if I know!" Kail said standing, and snapped at the cool kid. "It wasn't funny!"

"It kind of was." Devan said he was standing at the door of the room looking smug. Kail knew it was just a matter of moments before the study was full of kids. He sighed. Glad he was luckily enough that only two people had seen that.

"Whatever."

The first hour of the rise went normally, until the first brake. As Kail stood leaving his desk he face-planted. Everyone looked to him surprised, some people chuckled. The desk had toppled over with him, and he rolled looking to see that his laces had tide themselves around the legs of the desk. "What the fuck!?" He growled ripping laces off of the desk and out of his shoes. He threw them as far from him as he could. Unfortunately… laces aren't very aerodynamic and they flopped down just inches from him.

"Uh… what happened?" Tallos asked worried.

"Does it look like I know?" Kail asked. "My laces tied themselves to my desk, they are acting possessed!"

"Maaaaaaaan." Victoria said as she laughed leaning over her desk. "Kite, there are better ways to get attention."

"Shut it, Surket!" Kail growled. He hated the way she said his last name like they were friends or something. Out of all the people in the study she was the hardest to deal with.

Devan laughed. "You're name's Kail Kite?"

"What of it?" Kail snapped.

"No reason! Ha, KK, I like it, it's you dude."

Kail balled his fist as he stood, stomping out of the room. "You can all just find a high cliff and jump!"


	19. Prankster

Kail through his bag onto the floor as he stomped into the house. "Whoa there tiger, what's up?" His dad asked looking up from his laptop, where he was sitting on the couch.

Kail grumbled to himself. "Nothing." He ran his hand through his hair and cussed as glitter showered the floor. "Shit. Fucking glitter."

"What did you do- rob a gift shop?"

"No!" Kail growled. "On the way back from school as I got off the bus I stepped on this stupid contraption that pelted me with glitter."

"Oh, sorry." His father said trying to look more apologetic than amused. He was failing at it.

"Whatever." Kail sighed the rage dissipating. "Where's Xane?"

"Out back."

"Okay." Kail walked to the back glancing up at the first sun. He had nearly half the rise before second rise began.

He glanced around, but didn't see Xane. "Xane?"

"In here!" He heard, and looked to the tool shed. Kail huffed. Seriously what was his brother up to?

"What are you doing in-

He stopped as he pushed the door open and had a bucket of water fall on his head. "What are you doing?" He heard Xane asked from behind him. Kail turned around to see Xane walking his way from the garage. "Why is there a bucket on your head?"

"Fuck if I know!" Kail took the pale and tossed it into the shed, slamming the door in frustration. The whole shed shook from the force. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Just working on my bike." Xane said giving Kail a confused look. "You okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

Xane studied him for a moment, looking deep in thought. "Are you dating someone?"

Kail bristled. "FUCK no!"

His brother laughed. "Then what was with the bucket? I thought troll's only bothered with those when they found that special someone."

"Oh, ha, ha!" Kail growled. "I'm being pranked."

"By who?"

"Fuck if I know." Kail said. "I kind of was hopping you could tell me I was crazy. I think it's the wind."

"The wind?" Xane asked, the air around them was dead still. "Yeah. You're nuts. Should I go get you fitted for your white jacket now?"

"What the hell?" Kail looked at him to upset by the fact that he was crazy to be mad at his brother for teasing him about it.

"Whoa." Xane said, surprised by the look. "Hey, Kail, it's okay, you're not crazy."

Kail took in a deep sighing breath. "Right. I'm going to go…" Kail stopped looking at the house. "For a walk."

"You want me to come along?"

Kail shrugged. "If you want to."

It was only a few more minutes before they were out on the street, walking under the red leaved trees. "You going to be okay for second rise?" Kail asked.

"Yeah, we aren't going to spend the next 13 hours out here are we?"

"No. Probably not." Kail said.

"So what's up? What are you so stressed out about?"

"Who knows?" Kail said. "At this point I'm just wondering about my sanity."

"I see…" Xane said. "So-

"N-NO!"

The two boys stopped as the nervous command was followed by an irritated response. "What the hell Tallos, I'm trying to help you out here."

"N-no, you're just trying to get me hurt again."

"Come oooooooon. I thought after you got your legs back you'd man up a little, but no, you're still a whimpering little grub snatcher. I shouldn't be surprised."

"You don't know anything."

"If you don't stop sniveling-

"What's going on?" Kail asked stepping around the corner to see Victoria holding her hand up and Tallos cowering.

"Nothing." Victoria snapped, her blue eyes sharp and angry. Kail could see she was already calculating the situation- trying to figure out how to get out on top.

"This isn't some kind of game Victoria, lay off Tallos."

"What would you know about it?" She asked her anger getting pushed back as her smug attitude came to the forefront. "You do realize that at the end of this epoch we are all going to have to pick a career and stick to it. This little worm won't make it as a garbage totter at this rate. I'm just trying to straighten him out."

"I have decided what I want to do-

"Oh! Hahahahahahahaha! That's right!" Victoria spat, looking well beyond irritated. "You want to be a lusus breeder."

"What's wrong with that?" Tallos asked.

"Nothing. Nothing that is, if you want to make a living." Victoria said. "Come on Tallos- I know you have it in you. We could both take our places in the guard and climb the ranks!"

"If he doesn't want to join the army he doesn't have to." Kail said stepping between them. "You've had your fun picking on Tallos, I figured after last time you would have realized all it gets the both of you is trouble."

"OH!" The group stopped arguing just as it looked like Victoria was going to scratch out Kail's eyes.

Xane looked up and gasped. "What the hell?"

The others followed suit. In the branches above them was a boy in a blue outfit, holding a bucket. Kail's eyes widened and he took a step back realizing immediately who it was. The boy landed between him and Victoria. The girl took a step back as he examined her closely. "What?!" She snapped.

"Wow, you're really pretty as a human!" The god of wind said laughing. "I didn't imagine you as a blond though- that's a surprise!"

"What the hell are you prattling on about?"

"Oh…" the boy held out his hand. "I'm sorry, I forget- you guys forget… heehee." He shook her hand energetically. "I'm John Egbert."

"John Egbert?" She said looking lost.

"Hey." Kail said as dead pan as he could. "Wanna tell me what you were planning with that bucket?"

"Oh." John grinned at him putting the bucket behind his back. "Nothing."

Suddenly there was a gust of wind and the bucket flue up and over John's head its contents spilling out all over Kail. John laughed.

"So you're the kid who's been driving my brother crazy?" Xane asked looking more pissed than Kail had ever seen him.

"What?"

Xane took a hold of John's shirt, and the boy grinned at him. "It's just a little fun. I'm a prankster. It's what I do."

"If that's your excuse tha-

"Xane. Chill." Kail said, looking curios now. "So you know TG?"

"Who?" John asked as Xane dropped him and he smoothed out the front of his shirt.

"TG, on hounding, torturedGardian. He told me to watch out for cracked doors. It makes sense now."

"Oh!" John said clapping his hands together. "Right! I forgot, he took that name so that he could talk to you all. That's DaveSprite! We just call him Dave anymore though."

"Okay…" Victoria said turning. "This sound's fun and all but I've got places to be, iron's to burn."

"Okay!" John said waving. Then he turned to the three still there. "So, wanna go do something fun?"

"No." Kail said turning and walking away.

John floated up next to him, fallowing as he walked. "Aww, come on, Kar- Kail- I was just trying to make a proper greeting. I haven't talked to you in millennia-

Kail clamped his teeth together with an irritated snap. "What the hell- Xane. Let's go home. Tallos I'll see you second rise."

"O-okay…" The troll said watching them walk away not sure what to do.

"What are you just going to ignore me?" John asked. Kail didn't respond eliciting a pout from the god.

Xane watched for a moment. "Who are you exactly?"

"I'm John Egbert! Best prankster in all of paradox space!" He grinned.

"Okay…"

"See, I'm what you guys call a god- but not what I consider a god. I'm just John Egbert. I do have the whole windy thing going on for me though- that's cool I guess. Oh, and I've been alive since before the creation of this world- but that's more of a formality I think than anything else."

"A formality?"

"I guess it was one of the perks of winning the game." The windy boy landed next to Kail matching his pace. "I would have traded that perk in a heartbeat if it meant getting you back- and now I got both so it doesn't matter!"

"You'll just lose me again if what you say is true." Kail said. "Apparently I lost 'the game' or whatever."

John slowed for a second his smile fading. "Yeah…" Then it came back and he was all chipper again. "But that's okay- because you'll get to live out your life this time! That makes it better!"

"So… how do you know Kail?" Xane asked.

"We helped create the universe!" John said happily.

Xane looked less than convinced. "What?"

"Oh!" John said excitedly, "That's right! I also need to tell you about the event!"

"Event?"

"Yes!" John said. "It's very important." He stopped looking up to the sky, Kail kept walking, but Xane stopped looking back at the god. "If we miss it, this existence will cease." John's voice was level and serious.

Kail stopped, feeling bile rise up into his mouth. He swallowed. "What did you just say?"


	20. Don't sleep

Kail walked into his room shutting the door behind him he leaned against it. He felt like puking. Xane decided to leave him be and do his own thing. Yet alone or not Kail felt an unbearable wight on his shoulders. He looked to his recuperacoon and let out a sigh, he had a couple of hours before the next study he might as well try to sleep off some of this stress. He stumbled to a stop as he heard the computer chime.

Looking back at it, he could see the hounding application flashing.

Lazily he slipped into the desk chair and clicked on it. He could have sworn he'd logged off, but he was to confused about resent events to care. He blinked at the screen, he didn't even know the person hounding him.

**-**gallowsCalibrator[GC] started hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

(GC types in turquoise CG types in gray)

GC: 1 KNOW WH4T H4PP3ND TOD4Y

CG: DO I EVEN WANT TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE?

GC: WHY WOULD3NT YOU?

CG: *SIGH* WHAT EVER.

GC: TH3 GOD OF W1ND C4M3 TO YOU TOD4Y. T3LL1NG YOU TH4T YOUR 4CT1ONS W1LL 34TH3R S4V3 OR 3ND THE WOR1D.

GC: 1T'S NOT TH4T B1G OF 4 D341 R34LY.

CG: I'M TOO TIRED TO EVEN GIVE A SHIT. WHO ARE YOU ANYWAY? A FRIEND OF TG'S OR ARE YOU A FRINED OF THAT WINDY IDIOT.

GC: BOTH :]

CG: GREAT.

CG: JUST. FUCK. ME.

CG: THIS DAY COULDN'T GET ANY BETTER!

GC: S33!?

GC: YOU GO TO B3D 1N TH1S ST4T3 4ND YOU W1LL R3GR3T IT

CG: NOT THAT I WAS PLANING ON IT- BUT WHY WOULD I REGRET IT?

GC: H4H4H4! L1K3 YOU DON'T 4LR34DY KNOW

CG: HEY... THIS MIGHT SOUND WIERD. BUT... DON'T I KNOW YOU FORM SOMEWHERE?

GC: WH4T? NO. W3'V3 N3V3R 3V3N T4LK3D. WHY?

CG: THIS ALL JUST SEEMS SO FRAMILURE IS ALL. LIKE WE'VE SPOKEN BEFORE.

GC: W3LL W3 H4V3N'T SO DON'T FR3T 4BOUT 1T.

GC: TH1S 1S TH3 ONLY T1M3 1'V3 3V3R T4LK3D TO YOU.

CG: I SEE. SORRY.

CG: YOU KNOW YOU AREN'T SO BAD.

GC: WH4T?

CG: I DON'T KNOW, CALL ME CRAZY, BUT I THINK I LIKE TALKING TO YOU.

GC: SOUNDS PR3TTY CR4ZY TO M3. :/

CG: YOU'RE RIGHT. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH ME?

CG: FUCK.

CG: THEEEEEEA;LDGW/

GC: K41L?

GC: ?: YOU OK4Y?

GC: YOU F3LL 4SL33P D1DN'T YOU.

GC: 1 GU3SS TH3R3 R34LLY W4S NO H3LP1NG 1T.

GC: 1T W4S WORTH 4 TRY THOUGH

GC: 1 KNOW 1TS HOPL3SS TO W1SH 1T, BUT SW33T DR34MS K4RKL3S.

**-****gallowsCalibrator**[GC] stopped hounding carcinoGeneticist [CG]-

Xane walked into his room stretching slightly, getting ready to sleep a couple hours before second rise when he stopped, seeing Kail on the floor. "Kail!" he raced over to his brother. "Kail, are you okay?"

He looked up to see the hounding application open. He reasoned that Kail had passed out while on the computer. "What the hell man?" Xane asked no one in particular.

Kail groaned as Xane shook his shoulder. "Wake up."

There was nothing for it. Kail wasn't waking. Xane was worried, working his brothers limp arm around his shoulder he dragged him to his bed. There was no way he could lift him up into his recuperacoon. Kail let out a moan as his body rolled. "Fuck." He hissed rolling to his side and curling up.

Xane sighed setting down on the side of the bed. "Kail, what can I do?" Xane felt hopeless. He'd always done everything he could for Kail. He was supposed to protect him.

Xane let himself fall down next to his brother, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

_Xane was 2 (approximately 5 earth years), he was out exploring the forest. His dad had brought him out to camp. He was happy. It was the first time his dad had done anything outside of just lock himself in his room since his mom had passed away. It had been sad. It was still sad. It would always be sad. However, this weekend, he had gotten his dad back and that was so great. Xane thought about a lot of things as he walked, his small little head full of scenarios and what if's. He was too young to know better than to blame himself. He wondered seriously, just days before, about how to bring his mom back. He thought maybe if only he had done this or done that… maybe she'd still be there and he and his dad would be happy. He thought of things like this. It was hard not to. He did not know that it didn't matter what he'd done. Because it wasn't his fault. He didn't know that. So he blamed himself._

_Xane was supposed to be looking for fire wood. He was just wandering though. Following random animal and lusus trails. He had a small bundle of sticks in one arm and he absent mindedly smacked the bushes as he walked with a stick in his other hand. He stopped though as he heard a small strange cry._

_Dropping his sticks he pushed the tall grass aside to see something small and red wiggling around on the ground. He fell backwards out of shock. "What's that?" He gasped. Getting to his knees he crawled back to the clump of grass and parted the stems. He could see the small mass trembling. He watched for a moment before he saw it shake and heard a small cry leave it. He stared in awe. He didn't know what it was but it was a live. It shuffled around and stretched out. He realized it had been curled up and he could see as it moved around that it had a face. _

_His head tilted in curiosity. It was kind of gross looking but at the same time… it was really cute. He crawled closer and the creature froze. _

"_Shh." Xane said almost on instinct. "It's okay…" _

_The creature hissed at him showing off small pointy teeth. Its little red eyes were wide with fright. "I won't hurt you…" He put his hand out like he would with a cat or a dog. To his surprise the small being sniffed at him. It licked his hand and chirped. It was then he noticed that red blood was seeping out of a wound on its side. "You got an owie…" He reached out a tentative hand and touched the little guys head. It had black fussy hair falling messily around its baby like face. "Wow…" Xane said it was really soft. Suddenly he pulled back his hand quickly out of shock as something pricked him. "Ow!" He felt tears fall from his eyes as he put his hand in his mouth. This thing was mean!_

_Then it did something unexpected it crawled up to him, its small bug like legs hooking on his pant legs. He was scared. He wanted to run, but the creature let out a small cry and his panic stopped. It sounded like it was more scared than he was. It cried again, as if it was asking him specifically for help. With struggled effort, the small grub like child found Xane's lap and spun around a couple times. Xane watched amazed as it curled up. It closed its eyes and it let out a short purring like sound. Xane sat there a moment staring at it till it started letting out small quiet snores. He didn't know what it was. He didn't know why it was out here, but it was small and it looked like it was hurt. He looked at his finger. It had a small prick. It looked like when he'd caught his hand on a rose thorn just a couple of folds ago at his aunts. Carefully he pushed the hair of the small being back and stared surprised at the small sharp little horns he found. "Wow."_

_He realized that that was what he'd touched. As the little red mass let out a soft coo he felt a sense of purpose fill him. This little guy needed him. He needed protection and Xane could do that. He could help this small grub like animal. He just had to show his dad. Maybe he'd let him keep the small thing. It was about the size of a cat he thought. _

_Making up his mind Xane carefully put his arm under the grub and lifted it like a baby, it shifted slightly wiggling its small little legs and let out small squeaks of protest. Shifting his weight awkwardly Xane stood and made his way back to camp._

_The small grub began to scream and struggle and Xane dropped it in a panic. He looked down at his brother Kail screaming covered in blood. "Kail!" _

"Kail!" Xane shot up out of bed, panic rushing through his vanes he could still hear the screaming. He looked to his side and saw Kail curling into himself letting out a honorable screech of fear and anguish. "Kail!" Xane grabbed his brother by the shoulders and shook him, tears slipping from his eyes. "Kail! Wake up! Please wake up!"

Kail screamed thrashing trying to escape Xane's grasp. Xane fell off the bed, taking the sheet's with him as he did. They yanked Kail off the bed and the boy's scream hitched as the air was knocked out of him.

Xane through the covers off of Kail and rolled him over so he could see his face. Kail was taking in ragged breaths, staring blankly ahead. Finally awake. "Kail."

Kail's face scrunched up as tears escaped him. "Xane. I'm scared."

Xane pulled his brother up into a tight hug. "Don't worry. I'm here. I'll protect you."

Kail shook his head. He knew there was nothing for it. He knew now. He had to do this alone. He hugged his brother back anyway.

"You wanna stay home and watch some movies? I'm willing to sit through some of your romcom's." Xane said finally ending the hug and pulling Kail up to his feet.

Kail nodded weakly. He didn't really care- but he knew going to training was not something he wanted right then.

* * *

**AN:** Okay so this was a good long chapter.

It may be a while for real before I update again.

Hopefully this will hold you over?


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